Rotary engine.



PATENT JAMES ANGUS MCKENZIE,-

ROTARY OF HANCOCK, MICHIGAN.

ENG INE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,392, dated July 30,1901.

Application filed June 25, 1900.

tion.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, and hasparticular relation to the manner in which the valves and pistons areadapted to cooperate.

One object of my invention is to providea device which is durable inconstruction, simple and efficient in operation, and which can be madeat a comparatively small cost.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the cylinder-headfor the cylinder is formed by a rotating member which bisects thecylinder and which is provided with an opening for the passage of thepiston during a certain period of rotation of the latter, both pistonand cylinder-head being geared together and operating in conjunctionwith each other.

A further object is to provide a rotary engine with a rotatingcylinder-head.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the piston andcylinder-head are mounted on different horizontal axes, but connected tocooperate with each other.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will appear as theinvention is hereinafter disclosed, my said invention consists in theimproved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and in which similar numerals of reference indicatesimilar parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved device. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of one ofthe sections which form the easing for the rotating cylinder-head. Fig.4 is a side elevation of the cylinder-head Fig. 5 is a'central verticalsectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is an inside elevation of one of thesections which form the casing for the piston and showing the cylinderof the en- Serial No. 21,568- (No model-l gine. Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of the piston and its carrier. Fig. Sis a central verticalsectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is ahorizontal sectional view showing the manner in which the piston passesthrough the opening formed in the rotating cylinder-head.

1 designates the casing, in which is located the cylinder for thepiston, and 2 designates the casing for the cylinder-head. Each of thesecasings is preferably formed in halves, as shown, in order that they maybe readily connected together, it being understood that such connectionsare formed steam-tight, as are also the connections for securing the twocasings together one above the other, any suitable form of mountingToeing provided in so far as such mounting will serve to allow of themovements of the moving parts carried within said casings.

3 designates a shaft extending centrally through the casing 1, saidshaft being mounted in suitable bearings and having keyed or otherwisesecured thereon the carrier 4, formed as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, theinterior of the casing being formed to fit the curvature incross-section of said carrier. The rim of the carrier is formed with aperipheral extension 5, preferably flat, which fits within a recessformed within the casing.

6 designates the piston secured on the periphery of the extension 5,which piston is mounted to move around an annular raceway or cylinder 7,circular in cross-section, formed in the casing, said piston beingadapted to fit therein regardless of its special curvature, which may beas shown in Fig. 9.

8 designates the inlet and 9 the exhaust port to the cylinder 7, saidports being preferably arranged on opposite sides of the casing 1, asshown.

The casing 2 is provided with a suitable shaft 10, extending centrallytherethrough, and on which is keyed or otherwise secured thecylinder-head 11, formed substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, theouter portion being formed with a peripheral extension 12, which isadapted to fit in a suitable recess formed in the casing. The extension12 is provided with a radially-extending opening 13, for a purposehereinafter described.

The shafts 3 and 10 are provided with suitable gear-wheels 14 and 15,which are adapted to cooperate with each other to cause the piston andcylinder-head to have a simultaneous movement.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing 2 while supported on the casing 1is out of vertical alinement therewith, or, in other words, the axis ofrotation of the shafts 3 and 10 and the parts carried thereby is not inrelative vertical alinement, although the path of movement of said partscross each other. By referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that thisrelative crossing of the path of movement serves to form substantiallyabisection of the raceway or cylinder, this bisection being substantiallyat an acute angle. Several important results are obtained by mountingthe two casings in this manner, and thereby giving the moving piston andcylinder-head motions which intersect one another. One reason is thatthese parts may be made in a simple manner and at small cost; but theimportant result obtained is the fact that by this arrangement thecylindenhead forms an abutment arranged in such manner as to direct thesteam forward into the path where it is to go, forming a substantialinclined abutment which'directs the steam forwardly and prevents theformation of a steam-cushion, the construction necessarily causing acontinual forward movement of the piston as long as steam enters. Thisinclined abutment also aids in the rapid exhaust of the steam, as thissteam is directed toward the exhaust-port and is therefore positivelydriven therefrom by the pressure of the steam in rear of the piston.

It will be obvious that, if desired, the ports 8 and 9 may be reversedby simply changing the steam connections, and while I have shown thepiston as having a particular form or curvature and have also providedthe casings and the moving parts of particular ourvature these may bevaried as desired and as may be found most suitable for the purpose forwhich the construction is to be used, such modifications as well as anyothers which may be necessary being reserved by me in so far as they mayfall within the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in theappended claims.

While I have described the construction shown as a rotary steam-engine,it will be readily understood that the same may be used with but few, ifany, modifications as a gas-engine, a water-wheel, a pump, a compressor,afan, a water or gas meter, and for many other purposes not mentioned.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new is 1. In a rotaryengine, the combination with an annular raceway; and a piston therefor;of a moving abutment intersecting said raceway at an acute angle, saidabutment and piston having a cooperating rotary movement at equal speedsrelatively to each other.

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing having an annular raceway; inletand exhaust ports therefor; a piston rotatively mounted to move in saidraceway; a superposed casing mounted on said first-mentioned casing,said casings being out of vertical alinement; and a rotatingcylinder-head or ed in said superposed casing, said head bisecting saidraceway at an acute angle, said head and said piston having an operativeconnection to cause a relative movement at equal speeds.

3. The combination in a rotary engine, of a rotary piston disk and head,and an annular cylinder or casing with a cylinder-head or abutment,consisting of an annular plate or ring placed at an acute angle with theplane of the pistons revolution and cutting the path of said piston andcylinder, the cylinder having a slot accommodating said ring, means forsynchronously turning the ring and piston at equal speeds, and a slot orslots in the ring adapted to pass the piston therethrough, substantiallyas described.

4. A rotary engine, having a cylinder provided with an annularsteam-chamber, a rotating piston-disk and a head thereon fitting saidsteam-chamber, in combination with a cylinder-head or abutmentconsisting of an annular plate or ring lying at an acute angle with thecylinder and cutting through the steam-chamber,the walls of saidsteam-chamber having slots accommodating said ring and the ring having aslot or slots permitting the passage of the piston-head therethrough, acasing fitting closely about the projecting parts of said ring, andsecured to the cylinder, and means for turning the ring in unison andequal speed with the piston-disk, substantially as described.

5. A rotary engine having a cylinder provided with an annularsteam-chamber, a rotating piston-disk and a head thereon fitting saidsteam-chamber, in combination with a cylinder-head or abutmentconsisting of an annular plate or ring lying at an acute angle with thecylinder and cutting through the -steam-chamber,the Walls of saidsteam-chamber having slots accommodating said ring, and the ring havinga slot permitting the passage of the piston-head therethrough, a casingfitting closely about the projecting parts of said ring and secured tothe cylinder, and intermeshing gears carried by the pistondisk and ringwhereby the two are turned synchronously at equal speeds, substantiallyas described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES ANGUS MCKENZIE. Witnesses:

JOSEPH MALHERBE, J AS. BAIN.

abutment mount--

